This invention relates to an adjustable keyboard support and is particularly directed to providing an adjustable support for a computer keyboard that may be stored under a work surface and moved from beneath that surface to a working position at any convenient orientation of the keyboard desired by an operator.
Supports for adjustably positioning a separable keyboard are known. One is schematically described in "The New Work-Station" by John Pile in Interiors, Nov. 1982, pages 92, 93. The keyboard support disclosed in that article moves through a range of tilt to suit a user's needs and also moves up and down, independently of tilt angle, to bring the keyboard to a desired position. Mechanical linkages are shown in the schematic illustration in the article, and thus the user is required manually to move the keyboard support to all desired positions (raising and lowering). The present invention, on the other hand, utilizes a gas cylinder mechanism to provide the motive power in raising the keyboard support. Manual force is only required in the lowering of the keyboard support. Additionally, by utilizing a rear housing that is pivotally coupled to a slide plate that moves in and out on the underside of a work surface, in conjunction with a front housing that pivotally supports a keyboard mounting plate, with the front and rear housing being connected together by a parallel link mechanism that permits upward and downward movement of the keyboard mounting plate without change in the tilt of that plate, front and rear translational movement of the keyboard mounting plate and a change in the angular orientation thereof at any level of positioning of that mounting plate is achieved in the present invention.
The invention will be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.